POLST Designers Must Consult Medical Ethicists

At least four states enacted new POLST statutes this year: Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, and Wyoming.

In these laws, the legislature typically delegates to the Department of Health or to a licensing board the job of developing rules and the form itself. The legislature also often directs the agency to consult with “appropriate professional organizations.” These typically include, emergency medicine, hospice and palliative care, patient advocacy, and right to life. Notably, Wyoming included “medical ethicists.”

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